Epic Games announce surprise Fortnite patch for March 29

Alan Bernal

Epic Games have announced an unexpected Fortnite client update for March 29 following a wave of criticism after the arrival of the v8.20 patch.

[ad name=”article1″]

The developer had made some controversial moves in the latest patch, chief among them a revert for the popular siphon settings from core playlists that’s causing a lot of ire in the community.

The next update will be dropping at 2am PST / 5am EST / 9am GMT and will look fix bugs found in the game while improving stability issues throughout.

[ad name=”article2″]

“We’re releasing a client update tomorrow, March 29th at 5AM ET that includes bug fixes and stability improvements,” Fortine said in a Tweet. “Additionally, We’ll be releasing a detailed list of all resolved issues shortly after the patch is released. There will be no downtime for this update.”

Players were immediately concerned that the announcement didn’t include any reference to the siphon settings, Infantry Rifle or others.

Though players will appreciate any patch that takes away problematic bugs or issues that hinder the game’s performance, the update’s announcement was bombarded by a frustrated community who had a unifying message.

Revert.

Everyone from casual players to the pro community thinks the changes in the 8.20 update left the game in a worse state than it was before it landed.

From the siphon settings that no longer rewards players with resources upon earning eliminations to the Infantry Rifle switching from projectile bullets to hit-scan, there were a lot of unpopular adjustments.

[ad name=”article3″]

The infantry rifle has been causing problems in Fortnite since it was introduced.

Popular streamer Tyler ‘Ninja’ Blevins even had his apprehensions about the changes, and felt the update was to make the core modes “a place of safety for newer players.”

With a wave of negative feedback from all corners of the Fortnite community, the abrupt update is a welcomed sight to those that want things back the way they were.

Some players where even joking about the horrors that the v8.20 update brought with streamer Jack ‘CouRage’ Dunlop heavily alluding to the recent woes of the patch.

“Had the worst nightmare ever last night: I was playing Fortnite and they removed the health per kill, materials per kill, and faster farming rates in public games,” CouRage said. “I know. Terrifying. I wasn’t able to go back to sleep for a couple [of] hours after waking up.”

Epic Games has a solid track record of reacting to what its players want. With such a strong showing of one-sided critiques to the latest patch, players are hoping the devs flip the switch for the game’s latest changes.

Without pending notes or any kind of in-depth explanation, it’s unclear what the March 29 patch will bring. Though most of the community already has their mind set on what changes they want to see.

Related Topics

About The Author

Alan is a former staff writer for Dexerto based in Southern California who covered esports, internet culture, and the broader games/streaming industry. He is a CSUF Alum with a B.A. in Journalism. He's reported on sports medicine, emerging technology, and local community issues. Got a tip or want to talk?